Precisely positioning components of conventional optoelectronic devices relative to one another may be difficult. Particularly when doing so with tolerances in a low single-digit micrometers (also microns or μm) range, at low cost, and at high speed, such as in a volume production environment. By way of example, high speed lasers and photo detectors employed in optoelectronic devices may have small optical apertures, potentially on the order of tens of microns. Alternately or additionally, high bandwidth optical fiber may include comparable optical apertures. Furthermore, lenses and mirrors used to guide light from a light emitting aperture to a light receiving aperture are encouraged to be located within a few microns of a defined position to facilitate correct operation.
However, due to the disparate materials and fabrication processes used for lasers, detectors, lenses, optical fiber, and/or other optoelectronic device components, some or all of the components may be manufactured separately, to be precisely aligned later during subsystem assembly. One conventional method for aligning the components may include active alignment. In active alignment techniques, a precision robotic manipulator may position one component with respect to another component while monitoring signal strength, imaging feedback, or the like. Once an acceptable positioning arrangement has been found, the positions of the components may be fixed. Active alignment and similar processes may be relatively slow and may require relatively expensive equipment, which may encourage high alignment costs.
The claimed subject matter is not limited to embodiments that solve any disadvantages or that operate only in environments such as those described above. This background is only provided to illustrate examples of where the present disclosure may be utilized.